Pulsed power supplies represent a technology with applications in the areas of national defense, fusion, space technology, and in industry. Depending upon the application, different types of current and voltage pulse shapes are required to be delivered by the pulsed power supplies. For example, an electromagnetic launcher requires a generally rectangular pulse of high current. The level of energy delivered to such a launcher will generally be in the tens of megajoules. With the relatively recent developments in electromagnetic launchers and high energy lasers have come new requirements for high levels of electric energy to be delivered in particular wave shapes.
Until recently, pulsed power has been supplied using capacitors and other electrical energy storage devices. However, overall dissatisfaction with the high cost and low energy storage capabilities of these devices has led to a search for more suitable supplies.
A result of that search for more suitable pulsed power supplies is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,831 to Weldon et al. A compensated pulsed alternator generates a short duration, high energy pulse of electrical power by using a compensating winding to reduce the internal impedance of the alternator at the moment of its peak output. The result is to increase the output current of the alternator. One limitation of the compensated pulsed alternator, however, is that it has limited flexibility in the nature of the generated current and voltage pulse shape.